Daily Chizuk #1339

Parashat Shemini: Kind to Our Kind?
In this week's parasha, Shemini, we read about the kosher and non-kosher species, those that we’re allowed to eat and those that we’re not allowed to eat. One of the birds listed, which is not kosher, is called the chasidah. Rashi brings down the reason it's called a chasidah is because it does chesed with its friends by providing them with food. The Chidusheh HaRim asked, if that's the case, seemingly it should have been a kosher bird, based on the Ramban who said that non-kosher birds are ones that are cruel by nature.
The Chidushei HaRim answered, since it only does chesed with its own friends and whoever is not its friend, it doesn't help, it's considered a cruel bird. This is because when it comes to helping others, especially with food, we are not supposed to differentiate between one and another. Whoever needs help, we help.
A real ba’al chesed doesn't only do chesed with his own kind or his own friends. He does chesed with everyone and is even willing to sacrifice his own pleasures to help somebody else.
Shabbat Shalom!